Red Cross seeking blood donations as numbers tumble to 20-year low

The American Red Cross says a 20-year-low in the number of people giving blood has prompted an emergency appeal. 

Triad donations are even lower than the national level. The local chapter’s numbers have lagged behind the national trend since July, says Wes Haynes, district manager for the Winston-Salem area of the Red Cross. 

Part of the problem is that some large workplaces that had sponsored blood drives don’t have as many people coming into the office because of the shift to remote work. But Haynes doesn’t think that explains the whole situation.

“This year has just been weird," he says. "It's just been a much bigger challenge. Oftentimes, our conversation is about, 'We just need people to come up to our blood drives.' But this year, it's not just trying to get people to come into our blood drives. It's also that we need more blood drives.”

He says the key is developing more community sponsors to host mobile drives. Haynes says far more blood is collected in the community than at the organization’s fixed sites.

He adds that most of the blood obtained in the region is used by area hospitals and winter months are typically the slowest period for donations.

The American Red Cross says the number of blood donors has dropped by about 40 percent over the last 20 years.

The organization is urging people to schedule an appointment by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).